Fluid transmission



Feb. 10, 1953 w. E. LEWIS FLUID TRANSMISSION 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1948 Inventor 3/ Warren E. Lewis and Feb. 10, 1953 w. E. LEWIS 2,627,954

FLUID TRANSMISSION Filed NOV. 15, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.2.

Warren E. Lewis WWW M m Patented Feb-10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID TRANSMISSION Warren E. Lewis; Bradley, n1. Application November 15, 1948, Serial No. 60,098

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid transmissions for engines to provide a variable speed ratio between the motor and drive shaft and is designed particularly for use with motor driven vehicles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a fluid transmission including a drive rotor and a driven rotor having a novel interfitting vane construction.

A further object is to provide a fluid drive inhereinafter described nd claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the complete fluid transmission unit;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a, fragmentary view in elevation of the drive rotor;

Figure 4 is a similar view of the driven rotor;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on a line 55 of Figure l and showing the vacuum control unit for the fluid transmission and;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on a line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates the crank or power operated shaft of an engine for a drive rotor designated generally at 6 and which comprises a disc I cast or otherwise suitably secured to shaft 5 and having an annular outer wall 8 formed with an inwardly projecting flange 9.

A plurality of concentrically arranged groups of vanes or impellers Ill are suitably carried by disc I and project from the inner surface of the disc to provide an outer circularly arranged group of vanes or impellers I I positioned behind the flange 9, an intermediate circularly arranged grou of vanes or impellers I2 and an inner circularly arranged group of vanes or impellers I3.

The groups or concentric rows of vanes or impellers II, I2 and I3 are spaced radially with respect to each other and the longitudinal edges of the intermediate vanes or impellers I2 taper as shown at I4 and the outer edge of the inner vanes or impellers I3 taper as shown at l5.

Reinforcing spacing plates I6 are suitably se-, cured between adjacent vanes or impellers I2 and similar reinforcing spacing plates H are suitably secured between adjacent vanes or impellers I3. The spacing plates I6 and I1 rigidly connect the outer or free ends of the respective groups of -vanes or impellers to each other.

The outer, intermediate and inner groups of vanes or impellers II, I2 and I3 are inclined with respect to each other from a radial position as shown more clearly in Figure 2 of the drawings.

A driven rotor is designated generally at I8 and comprises a disc I9 having its edge positioned adjacent flange 9 and provided at its inner surface with outer and inner concentrically arranged groups of vanes 20 and 2I which project between the vanes or impellers II, I2 and I3 of the drive rotor 6. The longitudinal edge of vanes 20 and 2| are parallel to the adjacent edges of the vanes or impellers I I, I2 and I3 and taper to correspond therewith. The outer ends of vanes 20 and 2| are also reinforced by spacing plates 22 and 23 respectively, and are also inclined from a radial position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The outer surface of disc I9 of the driven rotor is formed with a channeled hub 24 which is slidably connected to a driven shaft 26 by means of splines 21. The front end of shaft 26 is formed with a socket 28 in which the rear end of shaft 5 is journaled.

The driven rotor I8 is moved toward and away from drive rotor 6 by means of a yoke 29 engaged in a channel of collar 24 and connected to a shaft 30 operated by a vacuum control unit 3| of a conventional type and including a vacuum line 32 attached to the intake manifold or carbureter of an engine to provide a variable torque control for the transmission.

The rotors 6 and I8 are enclosed in a sectional housing 33 provided with liquid-tight bearings 34 and 35 for the shafts 5 and 26 respectively, the housing 33 containing a suitable quantity of oil or other liquid.

The vacuum control unit 3| is connected to a clutch pedal 36 or to a conventional automatic control (not shown) and to thus actuate the driven rotor I8 in a, movement toward or away from drive rotor 6. The vanes 20 and 2| are thus moved longitudinally between vanes l I, I2 and 13 to thus vary the rotation of driven rotor l8 by the constant drive rotor 8. Movement of the tapered vanes 20 and 2| into tight friction gripping engagement with vanes ll, [2 and 3 will provide a positive drive connection between shafts 5 and 25.

Ihe vacuum controlled unit varies the driving ratio between rotors 8 and 18 in accordance with the variations in the load, an acceleration of the motor decreasing the vacuum in vacuum control struction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent. to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that. even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the. same is. susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the inventionas herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, whatis claimed as new is:

1. A fluid transmission comprising a casing for containing a liquid, a one-piece power shaft and a driven shaft journaled in opposite sides of the; casing, a hollow rotor fixed to-the power shaft andhaving an open side, a second rotor slidably keyed to the driven shaft at the open side of the first. named rotor, and vanes projecting from the op posing sides of the rotors, said vanes being of elongated fiat tapering construction disposed parallel. to the axis of the shaft and arranged in concentric} rows with the rows of vanes of one rotor working between the rows of vanes of the other rotor into and out of edgewise frictional engagement with each other.

2. A fluid transmission comprising a casing for containing a liquid, a one-piece power shaft and a driven shaft journaled in opposite sides of the casing, a hollow rotor fixed to the power shaft and having an open side, a second rotor slidably keyed .to the driven shaft at the open side of the first named. rotor, fiat elongated vanes disposed parallel to the axis of the shafts and fixed at one end to the opposing sides of the rotors and tapering toward their free ends, said vanes being arranged in concentric rows with the rows of vanes of one rotor working between the rows of vanes of the other rotor, and spacing plates between adjacentvanesadjacent their narrow ends to rigidly support the vanes of one rotor in edgewise frictional engagement with the vanes of the other rotor.

3. The combination. of claim 1 wherein said vanes of adjacent concentric rows are inclined edgewise with respect to each other.

WARREN E. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 1,238,447 Severey Aug. 28, 1917 1,291,871 Hein Jan. 21, 1919 1,672,232. Saives June 5, 1928 1,696,307 James Dec. 25, 1928 1,747,690 Allen 1 Feb. 18, 1930 2,214,416 Holtz Sept. 10, 1940 2,259,208 Hutchison Oct. 1 1, 1941 2,384,841 Lang. et al Sept. 18, 1945 2,392,520 Benz et. a1 Jan. 8, 1946 2,448,824 Price Sept. 7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 426,813 France July 19, 1911 388,880 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1933 

